How Much Does It Cost To Rewire A House?

 

Let’s face it, rewiring the entire house is not an easy task! Read this article to know more about the cost to rewire a house.

After all, it involves pulling out old wires, switchboards, and sockets. But a good and insured electrician should be able to do the job while ensuring the least amount of damage to the property. However, you should be prepared to drill holes and make adjustments where needed.

If you have been thinking of repainting the house, do it after the electrical work is done. Now an electrical wiring job involves a number of considerations, including the number of power points, outlets, switches, etc. And you may not want to remove or replace them all.

In this guide, we have broken down the cost structure so that you know how much individual jobs will cost. This should give you a fair idea of the entire expenses.

Keep reading to know all about it.

How Much Does It Cost To Rewire A House?

Rewiring a house can be a large investment, but we believe it has a lot of benefits. You can actually change all your backdated lighting and replace them with home automation. And instead of switches, you can have one touchpad in the centre of the house. Plus, modern lighting and electrical gadgets can be controlled via your smartphone.
Before we tell you about the average costs, know that the expenses will depend on a few factors. They are:

1. Size And Location Of The House

The cost of rewiring a three-bedroom apartment will not be the same as rewiring a one-bedroom place. You will have to consider the area covered by the house and the number of floors. Similarly, the costs for rewiring a socket will be different from rewiring the entire house. So, it depends on if you want to rewire all the lines or a section of them.
The location of your house will also help in determining the costs. If you live in the centre of the city, the costs will be different from if you live in the outskirts.

2. Materials Needed

The number of materials required will help you determine the overall cost. You will have to consider the switchboards, light switches, wiring, outlets, and other electrical components.

3. Electrician’s Charges

The electrician’s hourly rate will have to be taken into consideration while calculating the budget. Electricians may charge different rates based on the area and their expertise, so talk to them and decide on a fixed rate package before beginning renovations.

Expenses Involved In Rewiring A House

In this section, we will be discussing the standard costs for electrical parts and the cost of replacing a switchboard.

• Switchboard: Under $1,000
• Copper wiring: Average cost is $600-$650, but the cost may increase for larger houses
• Single power outlet: $70 to $120
• New cabling: $2,000 to $3,000

The total cost will also depend on the size of the house and the number of rooms in it. The average costs are:

• Two-bedroom house: $1,500 to $5,000
• Three-bedroom house: $3,000 to $10,000
• Four-bedroom house: $10,000 to $12,000

If you want to rewire a certain section of the house, then the costs would be:

• Rewiring for multiple downlights: Under $500
• Rewiring an inverter: $90
• Rewiring for kitchen renovations: Under $550
• Rewiring light sockets: $100
• Finding faults: $100
• Fixing a power point: $60
• Fixing a damaged cable: $120
• Repairing a meter box: $250
• Replacing light switches: $100

Next, you will need to calculate the cost of labour, and that includes an electrician’s charges. A lot of electricians will give you a flat rate for the project, while others may give you an hourly rate. You will be paying around $70 per hour of work, but the rate changes from one state to another. Here are some of the average costs:

• South Australia: $75 per hour
• New South Wales: $40- $80 per hour
• Tasmania: $79 per hour
• Queensland: $70 per hour
• Western Australia: $86 per hour
• Victoria: $65 per hour

We will recommend considering your future needs while rewiring as you will be able to save a lot in the long run. Once you get the house rewired, there is no need for rewiring for the next few decades. If you have opted for home automation, it will not get old any time soon.

Factors To Consider Before Choosing An Electrician

While you may have decided on the work that needs to be done, finding the correct electrician can be a tough job. Before looking at their rates, please check if they are certified to do the job. Because this is an expensive affair, you will not want malfunctioning wires within a few years.

Check their licences to see if they are certified to handle electrical wires or circuits and also check if they are well-established in the area and have insurance. You can even ask some of your neighbours if they have recently got some electrical work done so that they can suggest trustworthy electricians.

In case you do not have enough information, go through the reviews on your electrician’s online profile.

Final Words

If you are a DIY enthusiast and have thought about DIYing this task as well, we will recommend not going forward with it. The job requires proper qualification, and one faulty wire fitting can burn the entire electrical system.

Take the help of electricians because you won’t need a substantial budget to hire one. Also, if you opt for an expensive package, check for services that the electrician will provide afterwards in case any of the fittings malfunction.

You do not want to be spending a lot of money on such issues when you have already paid for the rewiring. Once you have all the details, we will recommend getting a signed agreement from an electrician